75% of those surveyed said that they opposed the sale of land in Jerusalem to Christian organizations that would build churches there, according to a just released survey conducted by the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies and the Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Relations. The survey studied Israeli Jewish Views of Christians and Christianity and got responses to a variety of questions, including which religion is closest to Judaism. According to 41% those responding, the answer is Christianity. According to 32%, the answer is Islam. What do you think?
Let’s conduct a highly interesting, if not scientifically sophisticated survey of our own. Please answer the following questions from the survey and I will tabulate your responses.

Since I am interested in the views of all readers, but want to compare results with the Israeli study, please indicate your own religious/spiritual orientation before answering the following questions:
1. Do you view Christians as missionaries? (Allow for now that the study could not/did not distinguish between missionizing and evangelizing, which is it’s own problem – one about which I will have more later.)
2. Does it bother you or make you uncomfortable when you see someone wearing a cross? What do you think it means when they do also?
3. What religion is closest to Judaism?
4. Is it permissible for Jews to enter churches? If so, under what circumstances?
5. Do you believe that Christianity is a form of idol worship? Does that include all forms of Christianity?
6. Do you believe that Christian soldiers serving in the Israel Defense Forces should be able to use a New Testament when pledging their allegiance to the army and the state?
7. If choosing between secular, spiritual, traditional and religious, which would you choose. (As in question 1, the terms themselves are limiting and problematic but useful here for purposes of comparison to the Israeli survey.)